Adhesive binding for books



Sept. 26, 1950 E. L.IB,UDDEN ADHESIVE BINDING FOR BOOKS Filed April 26.1947 INVENTOR E'afyar L Budd? v BY T Z'ML/MQWMW fl k ATTO R N EYSPatented Sept. 26, 1950 2,523,860 ADHESIVE BINDING FoRBooKs Edgar L.Budden, Richmond Hill, N. Y., assignor,

by mesne assignments, to De Florez Engineering Company, Incorporated, acorporation of Connecticut Application April 26, 1947, Serial No.744,149

This invention relates to books and has for its object the provision ofan improved book and a method of producing the book. The invention isespecially concerned with books of the type having the pages securedtogether with adhesive and provides an improved book of this type.

It has been'the practice heretofore to arrange the pages of books inwhat is known'as a page block and to cut through the entire block with asaw or knife to form a uniformly flat binding edge comprising thealignedand closely compacted to the flat binding edge as cut, whileother books have the binding edge rounded to form hinges for the cover.The layer of rapid-setting adhesive is used for the purpose of bindingthe edges of the pages together more securely before rounding thebinding edge. When the binding edge is rounded, the pages are spreadapart or fanned out, leaving openings into which subsequentl appliedadhesive penetrates. 2

When a page or a multiple of pages is secured at the edges to anadhesive film, the resistance to a direct pull on one of the pages isvery great. However, if a page is pulled at a, corner, the adhesive filmis placed in shear, and once started the page will tear out with a muchsmaller force than when in direct tension. The continuous layer ofadhesive is susceptible to shear when pulled angularly and my inventionaims to overcome this drawback.

In accordance with my invention, I apply a coating of adhesive to thefiat binding edge of the-page block prior to the rounding operation inan intermittent pattern, leaving a multiplicity of areas uncoated withthat coating of adhesive.

I may apply the adhesive in any suitable manner,

as by the use of an intaglio design On an adhesive roller applicator.The areas uncoated by '5 Claims. (01. 281-421) this coating aresusceptible to a very effective penetration between the spread edges ofthe pages b the subsequently applied adhesive. is the usual practice toapply adhesive after the rounding and joint forming operation and priorto the application of the crash. My invention permits,this last layer ofadhesive to penetrate through the uncoated areas of the previous coatingof adhesivean-d to give a slight bonding to the sides of the pages. Thisnot only saves a considerable amount of adhesive but the pages have muchgreater resistance to angular tension because each individual part ofthe penetrating adhesive has boundary edges which interrupt the shearinwhich takes place in'a continuous film or layer. s v I In oneadvantageousand more complete embodiment of my invention, I apply aninitial penetrating adhesive in the usual way and follow this by asecond coating applied in intermittent pattern, then round the bindingedge and apply the next layer of adhesive in preparation for the: crash.

The invention will be better understood after considering the followingdiscussion taken in onjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:Figs. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate, in plan views, three different forms of theintermittent application of adhesiveto the binding edge of a page blockfor a book;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end view of any one of the page blocks of Figs.1 to 3;

Fig. 5 is an end view of the page block after rounding;

Fig. 6 is an end view of the page block of Fig. 5 after applyingadhesive, crash and backing paper, and

Fig. 7 illustrates diagrammatically an arrangement of apparatus suitablefor applying adhesive in accordance with the invention.

Figs. 1 to 3 show the views of three different patterns in whichadhesive is applied to the binding edge of the pages of a book block.These patterns may be in any convenient design and may be applieddirectl over the binding edge. Ordinarily, the entire surface is coatedwith a layer of thin penetrating adhesive to effect a better bonding ofthe next layer of adhesive thereto.

The adhesive applied in pattern in Figs. 1 to 3 may be applied over sucha preliminary coating. If sufficient bonding may be secured With theadhesive applied in pattern, then the preliminar adhesive may beomitted. In Fig. l the adhesive l is applied in closely spacedtransverse strips which may vary in width, say, from one-eighth stripswhich may vary in width, say, from oneeighth to one-quarter inch. Theuncoated small square areas 4 resemble a checkerboard, which maycomprise from one-third to one half or more the area of the bindingedge. In Fig. 3 the adhesive 5 is applied in stippled pattern so as toleave small, say, one-eighth to one-quarter inch, diameter coated areaswith the remaining surface 6 uncoated.

The grouped pages which form the page block,

as shown in Figs. 1 to 6, are usually held tightly together in a clampforming a compact flat binding edge with a uniform surface. may beretained absolutely fiat, as in Fig. 4, for producing certain types ofbooks, or it may be rounded, as in Fig. 5, for producing books whichhave a hinged cover. My invention is concerned with the application of acoating of adhesive to the flat binding edge of the page block beforerounding, followed by at least one other application of adhesive afterrounding.

The coating of adhesive of my invention may be applied over the initialpenetrating adhesive by passing the pages while held in the clamp overan adhesive roller l (Fig. 7) which has an intaglio surface. vll capableof forming the desired intermittent pattern of adhesive on the bindingedge. The roller rotates in a bath of adhesive l2 and the doctor bladel3 wipes oif all of the adhesive except that retained in the depressions.on the roller. 'The adhesive applied in intermittent pattern ispreferably one of the quick-setting type now used for binding books.

In the next step of the operation, the binding edge is rounded, as shownin Fig. 5, by ironing the exposed edges which extend beyond the clamp tospread and flare them outwardly. The flared ends are somewhat opened orspread and are susceptible to penetration by adhesive of suitableconsistency. The adhesive applied in intermittent pattern spreads outwith the pages in the rounding operation. 7

In accordance with my invention, the next layer of adhesive is appliedover the rounded edge as a continuous layer by passing the grouped pageswhile still held in the clamp over any suitable adhesive applicator.This continuous layer of adhesive does not penetrate those portionspreviously coated by the layer in intermittent pattern and, accordingly,only penetrates and enters the spaces between the spread pages which arebare of such adhesive.

Fig. 6 shows the pages of the book with crash I5 applied over thecontinuous coating of adhesive. After the crash is applied directly overthe continuous layer, an additional layer of adhesive may be appliedover the crash. A backing paper I6 is applied over the crash to coverthe fresh adhesive which oozes therethrough to permit immediate handlingof the page block.

Among the advantages in applying the adhesive in intermittent pattern,'Imention the following:

1. A smaller quantity of adhesive is used.

2. The pages have greater resistance to diagonal tension.

The surface 3. The intermittent coating of adhesive ofiers lessresistance to rounding and backing in conventional machines, and

4. Conventional machines may be used.

I claim:

1. In the binding of books of the type having the pages secured togetherat the binding edge with adhesive, the improvement which comprisesapplying a coating of adhesive in intermittent pattern leaving parts ofthe binding edge covered with that adhesive and parts uncovered withthat adhesive, rounding the binding edge, and applying another coatingof adhesive over the rounded edge preliminary to applying crash.

2. In the method of claim 1, applying the adhesive in intermittentpattern so as to leave at least one-third of the total area of thebinding edge uncovered therewith.

3. The method of binding books of the type having the binding edges heldtogether with adhesive and the cover adhesively attached thereto, theimprovement which comprises applying a penetrating adhesive to the flatbinding edge, applying another adhesive thereover in an interruptedpattern which has a multiplicity of bare areas adjacent adhesive coveredareas, subjecting the binding edge to a rounding operation which spreadsthe edges of the pages, and then applying another .layer of adhesiveover the rounded edge to cover the intermittent pattern preliminary toapplying crash, whereby the lastapplied adhesive penetrates the barespaces between the spread edges and effects a strong binding with areduced amount of adhesive.

4. The method of binding books of the type having the binding edges heldtogether with adhesive and the cover adhesively attached thereto, theimprovement which comprises applying an adhesive having relatively goodpenetrating properties to the flat binding edge, applying another layerof adhesive in a pattern form which has a multiplicity of bare areasadjacent adhesive covered areas, subjecting the binding edge to arounding operation which spreads the edges of the pages, and thenapplying over the rounded binding edge a continuous layer of adhesivefor securing the crash, said latter adhesive covering the entire bindingedge, whereby the latter adhesive penetrates the spaces between thespread edges of the pages and eifects a strong binding.

5. In the method of claim 4, applying the adhesive in pattern form instrips or stipples which leaves about one-half ormore of the surfacebare of said adhesive.

EDGAR L. BUDDEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

